It seems like every time the Oscars roll around, the only things people seem to be talking about afterwards are the gowns and suits that were worn on the Red Carpet. Everyone has a different opinion, from “too bland” to “too risky,” but I have rounded up some of my personal favorites and hate-its from the 2018 Oscars.

Gal GadotThis “Wonder Woman” star was seen wearing a 1920’s flapper-inspired dress. The metallic fringe and plunging neckline might not work on everyone, but Gadot completely rocked it.

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Chadwick BosemanWakanda forever! The breakthrough Marvel actor who starred in “Black Panther” was one of my personal favorites. Boseman’s silver embellishments took a twist on a classic black tux.

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Geta GerwigGerwig has already made history by being the fifth woman nominated for her endeavors in cinematography, as Best Director for “Lady Bird.” Gerwig also made it onto my personal favorites by sporting a bright yellow Rodarte gown. This simple slip dress was completed with a red lip for a timeless look.

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Saorise Ronan The leading actress in “Lady Bird” was the definition of tastefulness in her sleek, blush pink Calvin Klein dress styled up with drapery in the back. Her crisp, short bob completely made the look and gave Ronan a perfect balance of youthfulness and elegance.

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James IvoryPerhaps the wittiest ensemble on the carpet, the “Call Me by Your Name” director sported a simple tux with a picture of the leading actor in his movie, Timothee Chalamet, printed onto his shirt. Andrew Mania, the British artist behind the masterpiece, is getting recognition for such a clever piece that got everyone watching the Oscars talking.

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Unfortunately,, there were some risks taken at the Oscars that had less-than-successful results. Here are five outfits from the Oscars that personally made me cringe.

ZendayaThe now grown-up Disney star wore an overall shapeless brown dress, in attempt to recreate the look of a toga. While Zendaya is an acclaimed actress with bold fashion choices, this look was one in particular that won’t be starting a trend anytime soon.

Emma StoneAs much as it saddens me to put my favorite “La La Land “actress on this list, her wine colored jumpsuit was a mess that cannot go unrecognized. Granted, the idea was there: a bold change from the usual gown. But everything from the hot pink bow around the waist to the black silk pants makes this look a La La Lose.

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Nicole KidmanKidman’s royal blue gown is almost rule number one of what not to wear. In addition to the horrendous color, the massive bow and tall slit up the middle made this dress and overall poor choice.

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Viola DavisThis critically acclaimed actress tops off my list of worst dressed in a barbie pink sparkly dress. While I always appreciate a nod to the 2000s, this endeavor went less appreciated.

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While the Oscars are a time to be bold and take risks, only some outfits were visionary masterpieces, while others were wardrobe malfunctions.

For the first time in 20 years, an African-American driven superhero movie will grace the screens. Black Panther will surely continue to have an extreme impact on the African-American community. Here’s a rundown of the importance of the movie and its.

The importance of this movie is felt in minorities around the world. Dylan Gatua, a student at West Ranch, said, “The importance of having an African American superhero in the form of Black Panther for minorities is to give hope and a sense of destination. The hope that people look beyond the minority stereotype and see that a minority can have role model qualities while holding the tradition or culture. Additionally, this movie also embodies minority women to gain a feeling of power. The power that they can be in any position of leadership, be admired for courage and not being the stereotype of women. In all, all minorities have to do is look up to the King of Wakanda, for his resilience and perseverance through all his obstacles.”

Black Panther represents what minorities can be. It shows them in a way that has never been seen before, and it shows the best of what all races have to offer. It also isn’t just men being showcased here: the Dora Milaje, an elite group of soldiers tasked with protecting the King, show empowered women at the forefront of the battle. For example, Letitia Wright plays a strong, technological genius and gives young kids, especially girls, somebody to look up to and strive to be like.

This movie is coming at a time of racial tensions in the USA, so having a black superhero in his own movie marks a sign of change and a major win for the African-American community. There is finally a movie led by a minorities, with a primarily African-American cast and director. So, with the success of the movie, minorities will finally have the ability to show the best qualities of themselves on a national level. This will ease racial tensions.

Joe Robert Cole, the writer of Black Panther, said,“Black Panther is a historic opportunity to be a part of something important and special, particularly at a time when African Americans are affirming their identities while dealing with vilification and dehumanization. The image of a black hero on this scale is just really exciting,” The movie gives young kids something to strive for. Especially minorities, they have a role model who looks like them and shows off the best of them. It also gives them the courage to push through each day, and strive for greatness: to become like the King of Wakanda.

Chadwick Boseman, the actor that portrays Black Panther, commented on the impact the film will have on African-American children: “I’m still a kid, you know. There’s a kid in each one of us and so I just know what it’s going to mean to you when you see it that it can give you a certain type of confidence when you walk through the world,” he told a young African-American fan, Camilla, on ‘GMA.’ “It also makes people that look like you see you in a different light and not judge you in a particular way.”

Black Panther will also have a massive impact on representation in Hollywood. Actress Letitia Wright said, “I’m excited for what Black Panther is about to do, not just for young black boys and girls, but for everyone. There’s a black superhero, but then we’re going to have more Asian superheroes and more from India. The solution to the problem is: We don’t have enough of this, so we’re going to make more. I’m excited!”

With the success of this movie, other minority led films will actually be taken seriously and watched. This movie also disproves the myth that movies led by African-Americans do not sell well, as it had a $242 million dollar domestic four-day opening, according to CNN. It also currently has a $1.2 billion total domestic growth. With the success of Black Panther, it will lead to more opportunities for minorities to star in big blockbusters.

Marissa Tinsley, a long-time Marvel fan and student at this school, states how this movie is important for minorities all around the world: “It makes me think that perhaps maybe more POC will have the opportunities to not only star in films, but also take the lead in their everyday life, inspire future generations, and just be who they are. Living their lives and stories and knowing that they’re universal and valuable.”

Most students relax or binge-watch Netflix on Saturdays. But not the West Ranch Speech and Debate team. These dedicated students spend their Saturdays competing with schools across Los Angeles. On March 9 and 10, the team took part in the State Qualifiers, a competition that the students had been preparing for the entire year.

“State qualifiers is such an important competition of the year because all the competitions lead up to this,” explains sophomore member Drew Ashlock. “The entire year [our] performance in other competitions is meant to prepare us for the opportunity to make it to States.”

After weeks of practicing and memorizing, the day finally arrived. The students rushed home as soon as school had ended, and left towards Burbank High School, where the competition took place. The cool air of the late day was buzzing with the tension of the competitors, but the Wildcats didn’t let this ruin their mood, as they practiced together and kept their spirits high.

At 5:30, as the sky turned pink streaked with purple, the first round started. Students headed to their designated competition rooms, knowing that this was the moment they had been preparing for. The experience was both unnerving yet inspiring, as sophomore member Chika Ma describes.

“As I was giving my first speech of the competition, it hit me that it was probably one of the last times I would be giving it,” states Ma. “Everything I worked for, all the practices, and stressing out over the smallest parts of my speech will all be reflected and shown in these speeches I will be giving. I worked so hard for this very moment and I didn’t want any of it to go waste.”

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I worked so hard for this very moment and I didn’t want any of it to go waste.”

— Chika Ma

As soon as they had finished their performances, the competitors headed home to rest, not long before having to return the next morning for a second preliminary round. Amidst all the stress, the West Ranch team kept smiles on their faces, knowing that they had given it their all.

Overall, the competition went well, with 6 members qualifying for both Speech and Debate. Drew Ashlock, Rushikesh Pande, Camille Blanco, and Jayden Barnholtz qualified for Speech, while Ryan Factora and Spencer Kweskin qualified for Debate. These talented members will all go on to represent West Ranch at the State Tournament.

“Competition is very tough, and I’m just so glad I got to qualify and now represent West Ranch at States. It’s an honor,” says freshman member Jayden Barnholtz.

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I’m just so glad I got to qualify and now represent West Ranch at States. It’s an honor.”

— Jayden Barnholtz

The team will continue to practice, compete and make West Ranch proud. Using their words to bring change, these Wildcats are making their sure their voices are heard.

“I [want] these speeches to count!” exclaims Ma. “Just have fun, [and] show the judges you love doing this.”

With over 94 million streamers, Netflix has increased the prices for their two most popular subscription plans: the standard and premium services.

The standard plan, now $10.99, lets streamers watch movies and shows in high resolution on two screens at once. Previously, it was $9.99 every month.

The premium plan, currently $13.99, allows customers to watch their favorite shows on up to four devices, plus stream ultra HD content. This service was formerly $11.99.

However, the basic service, which only allows viewing on one screen at a time without HD content, still remains at $7.99.

Despite the price increase, Netflix addicts won’t stop watching. Based on their subscription plan, users were notified about the price change and when it would take effect. With 30 days notice, viewers could still stream regularly before they had to start paying up.

Although Netflix is a convenient app to binge-watch your favorite titles with no commercials in-between breaks, how much will they continue to raise the monthly cost? Just last year, the standard plan was raised from $8.99 to $9.99. Yet again, that didn’t stop anyone from using the popular streaming service. In 2017, Netflix was one of the most popular apps amongst Apple devices.

Watching Netflix is something many people, including myself, do in their spare time. Personally, as a streamer with the standard plan, I’ll be binge-watching my favorite titles, paying the $10.99 every month. However, there are many that would say paying $11-13 every month isn’t worth spending — but if you can’t stop rewatching your favorite shows, Netflix’s new prices are still reasonable.

On Thursday March 15, West Ranch boys lacrosse lost 6-8 to Sierra Canyon.

“We played well, but we had too many turnovers. We had about 20. That hurts. Can’t turn the ball over like that,” said Coach Borsos.

West Ranch struggled to get a strong start trailing three goals to five at the end of the first half, but the beginning of the second half proved instrumental for the team. Goals by Vince Buyco and John Matkin brought the team close to tying up the game.

“They had a really good goalkeeper. We had 33 shots and we just didn’t get them in the right spot,” said Coach Borsos.

West Ranch’s two goals were quickly followed by two opposing goals and tough defense. With this, the Wildcats struggled to make a comeback. Three shot attempts within the last minute of the game were hopeful, but the Cats came just short of finishing.

“We can work on shot selection,” said captain John Matkin. “We had all these shots that would raise the score, but we just couldn’t finish.”

Despite the loss, the Wildcats put up an impressive effort and played well with all the contact and aggression of the opposing team. Join your boys lacrosse team in their next game on Saturday vs Palisades at 9:00. Good luck Cats!

The lights in the amphitheatre dimmed, the talking quieted and Women’s Choir began their entry onto the stage. One student among the group stepped into the spotlight, took the mic, and said, “Anyone one can sing; you just open your mouth and give shape to a sound.”

On March 9, excited friends and family members filled the West Ranch theatre to watch the Women’s Choir perform. As soon as the choir took their places on the stage, they began their performance. After the opener finished reading a chilling excerpt from the Renaissance, the group, in turn, began to sing it. At one point, the theatre was dead silent, all except the soft humming coming from the singers. While the excerpt carried a serious tone, the song itself was a soft melody that slowly escalated into an upbeat rhythm.

After the second song, the choir instructor, Molly Peters, took the center stage and gave a quick introduction. She gave a warm welcome to the audience and introduced the theme of the night’s show: the Renaissance. This particular showing included Italian melodies and catchy tunes from the times of the Renaissance. Peters explained that she chose this theme to emphasize “the way music can enhance our feelings and how music shapes the experiences in our lives. We can do the one thing that other instruments cannot do: we sing words.” She stepped off the stage and applause erupted from the crowd.

When the applause settled, a smaller group of singers was left on stage, including some of Men’s Choir. They sang a song called “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,” which carried an upbeat tune and left the crowd with smiles on their faces. The fourth song took the audience back to the Renaissance. The composer was German so some parts were sung in German and others in Latin. Although I couldn’t understand some of the words that they were singing, I couldn’t help but tap my foot to the catchy beat.

The Men’s Choir left the stage while the Women’s Choir remained, and many smiles were seen as the students excitedly waved to their family members in the crowd. The next piece was based off of the Estonian tradition of folk singing. Ms. Peters even took the time to explain the singing revolution that happened there. The Estonians, who had always been under either communist or Nazi rule, finally decided to gain their independence through no violence at all — not one single drop of blood was shed. They merely lined up on the streets and sang their anthem all day and night.

The seventh and final piece from Women’s Choir was called “Sing to Me.” Ms. Peters pointed the mic towards the singers and they unanimously explained what the song was about: hope. While the other songs had uplifting tunes and tribal beats, this song was calming and peaceful. When the last note was sung, the crowd cheered and applauded. It was definitely an experience to see. And while the Renaissance theme was specific to this concert, make sure to go see West Ranch’s Women’s Choir in their next show in May.

For a city to have one person that will become a musical icon is extraordinary. To have three students that will become musical icons is almost unheard of.

Cate Hwang, Hailey Miller and Marley Berry are all online students through the district’s Hart at Home program, although Berry and Hwang are still a part of West Ranch Choir. These three young women are currently pursuing a career in the music industry while balancing school and being teenagers. Already signing development deals, creating EPs, and working to get their names out to the world, these girls are accomplishing great things while still in high school.

Cate Hwang:

Cate Hwang

Cate Hwang is an edgy hip-hop, indie-vibing, R&B-loving jazz enthusiast who has a deep passion for music, and a personality so vibrant it lights up a room. Her versatility in musical ability compliments her love for music well. Hwang is able to sing, play the guitar, piano, and ukulele, as well as produce music. She enjoys almost every aspect and every genre of music, saying she “appreciates almost everything.” However, she describes her style as “chill-wave, almost vibey music,” with her main goal being creating a certain mood and tone in her work. Her happy, laidback music fits right in with her bubbly, bright personality.

She can be found playing the guitar in Ms. Peter’s choir class, online on the piano doing a duet with her brother, or singing a stripped-down cover in her bedroom with her ukelele. But recently, she’s been on the other side of the music. “Lately I have been working with a DAW, which is a Digital Audio Workshop, and so I get to program music and make it. Learning how to actually make music and produce it has been really fun, and that’s what I’ve been focusing on recently.” No matter which direction she goes, Hwang’s extended talent and appreciation for all music will take her far..

Hailey Miller:

Bailee Pearson Hailey Miller

Hailey Miller can best be described as a reserved, yet confident girl with a big voice. She has been singing for most of her life, and has recently taken her career to the next level. With a soulful voice that still flows as effortlessly as a summer’s breeze, it is easy to believe that producers have shown interest in her.

“I recently signed a development deal with a producer, and we are working on an EP right now, which is a shorter version of an album. I’ve written about seven songs for the EP, but have written over 50 songs overall,” said Miller. Part of this next step also meant she would have to figure out her style and what she is trying to do with her music, something Miller had discovered this past year.

“I used to write about other people and their experiences, but I found myself not being happy singing those songs. My producer suggested writing songs about me and my experiences. So the last four songs I’ve written are about how I see things and my perspective on certain issues, and I’ve seen such a difference. They are more emotional, way more personal, and I want to sing what I’ve written. I used to write to achieve a certain feeling or vibe, but these are because I have a story to tell.” As Miller continues to personalize her music and write new songs, she is committed to releasing her EP later this year.

Marley Berry:

Marley Berry

Anyone who has met Marley Berry knows she is gifted yet humble. Her cool, buttery voice is one that could serenade anyone to sleep in five seconds. Despite having amazing vocal range and tone, she hardly takes any credit for it.

“I’m in my church’s worship band, and I want to make sure people know that it’s not me. I mean that God gave me my abilities and I want to bring attention to him somehow through my songs.” Her modest and giving aura have helped her develop her acoustic, smooth sound. Berry has released multiple produced covers on the popular music streaming platform Soundcloud, ranging from taking R&B songs to a slower, acoustic tone. After having so much internet success, Berry is ready to move on from covers and make her own music. “Whenever I get an idea for a melody, I’ll write it down or put it in voice memos, and then later put words to it and make a song out of it. I have the songs and now I’m just waiting to produce them,” said Berry.

Berry’s impeccable talent, motivation and modest mindset are sure to take her far in the music industry, but she is constantly trying to improve and set herself apart from others. Playing unique instruments has been something Berry has picked up interest in recently, explaining that, “I can play four and a half songs on the ukulele, I can play the kazoo, and I really want to learn the spoons.”

The Trio:

Marley Berry, Cate Hwang, and Hailey Miller all share a passion for creating music, but share something else together. Although all are pursuing individual professional careers, they still find time between meetings, school and recordings to sing together. With covers and collaboration videos on Instagram reaching over thousands of views, it is obvious their group is a huge hit.

“We started singing together just beca

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“We started singing together just because in choir we had a lot of off days, and she [Hwang] would just whip out the guitar and we’d start a singing group. ”

— Hailey Miller

use in choir we had a lot of off days, and she [Hwang] would just whip out the guitar and we’d start a singing group. We would all just sit in a circle in Ms. Peter’s room and sing and we were thinking, ‘wow this is so much fun,’ so we then ended up meeting outside of school and singing together,” said Miller.

The three girls have a similar style of music: stripped-down acoustic R&B with pop. With different tones and vocal ranges yet a similar style, Hwang, Miller, and Berry found they worked very well together as a singing group. They threw around words like “smoothie” and “unity” to describe the vibe they get from collaborating together. Hwang concluded that, “the harmonies just come really naturally, I feel like, and all our voices just blend together. It’s really… effortless.”

The singing group is not all just for fun; it helps each girl get better and fine tune what they are working on. “It’s really helpful to me when I work with other people, and I think it’s easy to get frustrated with your own music and you feel very isolated. If I just take a second and ask a friend a question about my music, it’s so much better,” said Hwang. Having another set of ears, or two for that matter, listen to your work can help point out details or aspects that the musicians might not have noticed.

All three of these gifted young ladies have collaborated to make internet-shaking covers, as well as had success with their individual music. Their bond and friendship is evident in the rawness of their work together, and they continue to support each other while embarking on taking their music career to the next level. Wherever they go, we wish them all the best.

For most people, music is just something you turn on in the background to zone out your teachers or while driving down the street, but for one freshman student, music takes on a much larger role.

“Fake it ‘til you make it” is the motto of John Kim: volleyball player, ASB president of his class and aspiring artist.

Music has always been a key aspect in Kim’s life. From the beginning, he was drawn to music as a creative outlet to express himself. Naturally, he began learning a wide variety of instruments and took up singing. “I’ve always been interested in music,” he tells us, “I’ve always played guitar, [and] any instrument that I can get my hands on, I try to learn it: ukulele, piano, drums, guitar.”

Arguably the most important element of a song is the lyrics, and for John Kim, they hit close to home. He describes the story behind his lyrics as “whatever I may be going through, and anything that is going on in my life.” He tries to incorporate all goings-on, whether they are monumental or trivial. But a magician, or an artist, never reveals his secrets, and this includes the mystery subject of his latest release, “If I Fall.”

Kim explains that creating a soundtrack is not as easy as it sounds. There are several steps he takes before releasing his masterpieces to the public. “So first I usually start off with my melodies, the instruments, and then after that I lay my drums on top.” He then mixes, masters, and adjusts volumes after laying the lyrics on top before releasing it.

The young musician takes advantage of the many applications available to him and just about anything he can get hold of. He uses programs like FL Studio and Pro Tools.

Kim also makes the most of what he can do to get his music out there. Unlike the well-known artists you listen to everyday, he doesn’t have the advantage of their wide social media platforms with million of followers or radio show hosts announcing their music every ten minutes. Instead, Kim promotes his music through his friends on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.

Just like any other high school student, Kim faces the same everyday challenge: homework. Whether it’s for an AP or Honors class, he says that finding time to do what he loves has proved to be the hardest challenge so far. “[School] just keeps getting in my way… so I can’t solidly focus on music.”

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I really hope that everyone won’t limit themselves because of what they have and what they don’t have.”

— John Kim

However, putting in extra effort to do what he loves is worth it to Kim. All of the positive feedback that he receives is part of the motivation that keeps him going. “It really pressures me to come up with something even better and to not disappoint some of the people who are expecting certain standards of me.”

Although Kim’s latest release was comprised of mostly rap verses, his music preference is the complete opposite. Kim reveals that his passion for music lies within the Christian genre. “The only reason that I listen to hip hop music is because that way I can notice the trend of what’s going on in the hip hop genre right now so I can recreate that in my own way.”

Kim closes the interview with a message for all aspiring artists who don’t know where to start, telling us that “I really hope that everyone won’t limit themselves because of what they have and what they don’t have. They can push through those limits to create music and make other people happy.” Make sure to keep an eye out for his songs to come.